| 02 August 2010
Andrew Wheating just keeps running, and is back to representing Oregon.
Wheating - a middle distance runner - who recently graduated from the University of Oregon, will remain in Eugene after he signed on with the Oregon Track Club Elite and also inked an endorsement deal with Nike last week.
With a 6-foot-5 frame, powerful long strides, and a flair for the dramatic, he is believed to be the next big thing in track--the first American in a long time that has a chance to compete with the mighty Kenyans on the professional stage.
Against the best professional runners in the world, Wheating recently finished a very impressive fourth in the 1500 meters representing USA at the Monaco Diamond League Meet with a time of 3:30.90. In setting that mark, he shattered his previous personal best by 3.67 seconds.
Andrew’s legendary kick didn’t result in a win at Monaco, but he continuously wowed crowds at Hayward Field throughout his college career, coming from well behind to blow away the competition off the final turn.
Back in 2008, Kenny Moore chronicled Wheating’s performance for Runners World in the 1500 meter run at the Oregon Twilight meet. Even then you couldn’t count Andrew out.
"Wheating was fifth with a lap to go. He looked to his right, helpless as Olympian Gabe Jennings and four others swarmed around him, boxing him the entire first turn, dropping him to seventh," wrote Moore.
“Watchers thought: Dead meat, dumb mistake.”
Wheating felt otherwise. In the last backstretch he moved wide.
“Coach said to kick with 150 to 200 to go,” Wheating recalled.
“But I felt so good, I exploded at 300, felt great at 200, better at 150, so I just kept going and going."
As Moore described it: 'He won by a yawning 20 yards, an arm upraised in jubilant, astounded triumph.'
And with abounding gifts on the track, more breathtaking finishes are expected for OTC Elite and Andrew Wheating.
photo: runnersworld
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